Swinging Apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a swinging apparatus (rotatively moving and swinging apparatus), a swing arm  51  positions a rotatively moving pedestal  45  and a cushion base  51 . The swing arm  51  is swung around a driving shaft  60  to swing the cushion base  51 , that is, to elevate or lower the cushion base  51  and to move it forward or backward. The cushion base  51  supports a seat portion  30 . When the seat is in a forward position in which it is directed toward the front of the vehicle, the swing arm  55  diagonally connects the members  51  and  45  together (Z type). This prevents, in the forward position, the swing arm  55  from extending upward from the cushion base  51  or the rotatively moving pedestal  45  from extending laterally from the seat portion  30 . Therefore, the size of the apparatus can be reduced across the width and height.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a swinging apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

An elevating and lowering apparatus has been proposed which is installedin an uneven place or in a van type vehicle to perform a loading orunloading operation (for example, Patent Document 1). As shown in FIG.17, the elevating and lowering apparatus is mainly composed of a pallet1 on which a load can be placed, a base member 2 disposed on a side ofthe pallet 1, a driving motor 3 provided on the base member 2, and aswinging arm 5 that positions the base member 2 and a suspension arm 1Astanding on the pallet 1. The swinging arm 5 can be swung around itsconnection portion 5A connected to the base member 2 to elevate andlower the load on the pallet 1.

In this structure, the swinging arm 5 is connected to the suspension arm1A of the pallet 1. Accordingly, even while out of use, the swinging arm5 extends upward far from the pallet 1. This increases the size of theapparatus even in a vertical direction, thus degrading the aestheticaspect of the apparatus. This apparatus thus leaves room forimprovement.

An elevating and lowering apparatus different from the one disclosed inPatent Document 1 comprises a pivoting support mechanism and anelevating and lowering mechanism (for example, Patent Document 2). Thepivoting support mechanism supports a seat so that the seat can bepivoted between a forward position where it is directed in a vehicleadvancing direction and a pivoted position where it is directed toward adoor opening. The elevating and lowering mechanism elevates and lowersthe seat in the pivoted position, outside the vehicle through the dooropening. These mechanisms comprise dedicated driving sources (drivingmotors). A control device switches the driving to allow the mechanismsto perform predetermined operations.

However, the elevating and lowering apparatus disclosed in PatentDocument 2 has an increased size because the pivoting support mechanismand the elevating and lowering mechanism have the dedicated drivingsource. This apparatus thus leaves room for improvement. Patent Document1: Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-67173 Patent Document 2:Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-47898

A problem to be solved by the present invention is the difficulty inreducing the size of the swinging apparatus.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is mainly characterized in that amount isrotatively moved around a connection portion in a direction opposite tothat in which a swing arm be rotatively moved, so as to be held in ahorizontal posture even during a swinging operation.

The swinging apparatus in accordance with the present invention isconfigured so that when a swing arm is in a set position, a mount and abase member are diagonally positioned. This prevents the swing arm fromextending upward from the mount. Consequently, the size of the apparatuscan be reduced across the height.

Further, according to another embodiment of the present invention, whenthe swing arm is swung, a movable sprocket rotatively moves in adirection opposite to a swinging direction. This allows the mount to beheld in a horizontal posture with respect to the base member regardlessof the swinging operation of the swing arm. Further, some such postureholding portions operate via a four-node link, that is, four supportingpoints. However, the sprocket operates via two supporting points, andthus has a simple structure and operates smoothly.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, when a drivingportion rotatively moves a horizontal rotating shaft, the mount is swung(elevated or lowered and moved forward or backward) via the swing arm.As the horizontal rotating shaft rotates, its rotating operation isdirectionally converted into a rotating operation around a verticalrotating shaft, with the converted rotating operation transmitted to arotatively moving portion. This rotatively moves the base member andthus the mount. Thus, both swinging operation and rotatively movingoperation can be performed using the same driving source. This makes itpossible to reduce the number of parts required and thus the size of thewhole apparatus.

Moreover, according to another embodiment of the present invention, aconverting portion comprises such a pair of gears as allows the rotatingshafts to cross at right angles. The converting portion thus has asimple structure.

Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, atransmitting portion joins two sprockets together via a belt.Consequently, even if the two sprockets are spaced from each other,their power can be easily transmitted.

Further, according to another embodiment of the present invention, theswing arm is inverted, that is, rotatively moved through about 180°around the horizontal rotating shaft. This ensures a sufficient strokefor a seat portion when it swings to the exterior or interior of thevehicle (for a swinging angle of 180°, a stroke is ensured which isalmost double the length of the swing arm).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle applied to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a rotatively moving operation of a seatportion.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a loading and unloading position of theseat portion.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a rotatively moving andswinging apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the seat portion in a forward position.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the rotatively moving and swingingapparatus in the forward position.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a swinging operation of a swing arm.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the swinging operation of the swingarm.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the rotatively moving and swingingapparatus in the loading and unloading position.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the rotatively moving and swinging apparatusin the forward position.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a rotatively moving operation of the seatportion.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the rotatively moving and swinging apparatusin the loading and unloading position.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing the structure of a link mechanism.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing a support structure for the swingarm.

FIG. 15 is a side view showing a swinging operation of the swing arm.

FIG. 16 is a plan view showing the structure of the link mechanism.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a conventional example.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

-   40 Rotatively moving portion-   41 Bearing plate-   45 Rotatively moving pedestal (base member)-   51 Cushion base (mount)-   55 Swing arm-   60 Driving shaft (horizontal rotating shaft)-   71 Transmitting portion-   91 Converting portion

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiment 1

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with referenceto FIGS. 1 to 16.

FIG. 1 shows half of a passenger seat in a car applied to the presentembodiment. In a compartment, a passenger seat 20 and a rear seat 12 arearranged on a floor panel 11. A door opening 13 is provided on a side ofthe passenger seat 20. A door 14 is attached to the door opening 13 sothat it can be opened and closed. A center pillar 17 is formed behindthe door opening 13.

The passenger seat 20 is composed of a seat portion 30 consisting of aseat cushion 31, a seat back 32, and a headrest 33, and a rotativelymoving and swinging apparatus M. The apparatus M causes the seat portion30 to perform an internal slide operation for adjusting the seatposition in the compartment and an external projecting operation andretracting operation for allowing a passenger to get in or out smoothly.The projecting and retracting operation causes the seat portion 30 toperform a combination of a rotatively moving operation and a swingingoperation to displace the seat portion 30 between a forward position(position shown in FIG. 1) where the seat portion 30 is directed in avehicle advancing direction and a loading and unloading position(position shown in FIG. 3) where almost the entire seat portion 30projects out of the car through the door opening 13. The forwardposition corresponds to a set position in accordance with the presentinvention.

The rotatively moving and swinging apparatus M comprises a slide portion35 that causes the seat portion 30 to perform an internal slideoperation, a rotatively moving portion 40 that causes the seat portion30 to perform a rotatively moving operation, and a swinging portion 50that causes the seat portion 30 to perform a swinging operation.

As shown in FIG. 5, the slide portion 35 has a generally rectangularsupport plate 36 and a slide plate 41 disposed above the slide portion35. The support plate 36 comprises fixed brackets 36A and 36B at itsfront and rear end, respectively. The support plate 36 is attached tothe floor panel 11. A pair of movable and fixed rails 37 and 38 isdisposed between the support plate 36 and a bearing plate 41; themovable and fixed rail 37 and 38 can perform a relative slide operation.The pair of the movable and fixed rails 37 and 38 allows the bearingplate 41 and the passenger seat 20 to be supported so as to be able toslide forward and backward in the car body.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the rotatively moving portion 40 comprises arotatively moving pedestal (corresponding to a base member in accordancewith the present invention) 45 above the bearing plate 41 (correspondingto a bearing portion in accordance with the present invention). An outerring 44 is provided under the rotatively moving pedestal 45. An innerring 43 is provided over the bearing plate 41. The outer ring 44 isrotatively movably attached to the outer periphery of the inner ring 43via balls B. The rotatively moving pedestal 45 is thus rotativelymovably supported by bearing plate 41.

Further, upward sidewalls 46 are provided at a left and right side edgeof the rotatively moving pedestal 45 along its length. The front(hereinafter referred to an attaching wall 47) of each of the sidewalls46 is extended upward from the remaining part of the sidewall 46. Aswing arm 55 described later is installed on the attaching wall 47.

Subsequently, the swinging portion 50 will be described.

Reference numeral 51 shown in FIG. 4 denotes a cushion base(corresponding to a mount in accordance with the present invention). Thecushion base 51 is planar and the seat cushion 31 is installed on thetop surface of the cushion base 51. A lateral pair of connection frames52 is attached to the bottom surface of the cushion base 51 along thefront-to-back direction of the cushion base 51. The connection frames 52have a U-shaped cross section and are attached to the cushion base 51 sothat their open sides lay opposite each other. Each swing arm 55 isinstalled between the outer surface of the corresponding connectionframes 52 and the outer surface of the attaching wall 47 of thecorresponding rotatively moving pedestal 45, via sprockets 56 and 57.

Specifically, axial holes 56A and 47A are drilled in the inner peripheryof the sprocket 56 and the attaching wall 47, respectively. The sprocket56 is welded to the outer surface of the attaching wall 47 with bothaxial holes 56A and 47A aligned with each other. A driving shaft(corresponding to a connection portion of the base member in accordancewith the present invention) 60 penetrates the axial holes 56A and 47A.The swing arms 55 are relatively fixed at the laterally opposite axialends of the driving shaft 60 (horizontal rotating shaft) penetrating theaxial holes. An electric motor 67 described later drives the drivingshaft 60, which is thus rotatively moved. This rotatively moves theswing arms 55 integrally with the driving shaft 60. The sprocket 56 ishereinafter referred to as a fixed sprocket.

On the other hand, axial holes 52A are formed in the rear of the leftand right connection frame 52 at opposite positions. A connection shaft(corresponding to a connection portion of the mount in accordance withthe present invention) 63 penetrates the axial holes 52A. The sprockets57 are idly inserted around the respective ends of the connection shaft63. Moreover, a free end of the swing arm 55 is fixed to the connectionshaft 63 outside each of the sprockets 57 (sprocket 57 is hereinafterreferred to as the movable sprocket). Further, the movable sprockets 57are screwed (clamped) to the connection frame 52 via a pair of bolts.Consequently, when the movable sprockets 57 rotate around the connectionshaft 63, the connection frames 52 rotate integrally with the movablesprockets 57. Gear portions 56B and 57B are formed all along the outerperipheries of the fixed and movable sprockets 56 and 57, respectively.A chain (corresponding to a belt in accordance with the presentinvention) 65 is passed around the tooth portions 56B and 57B. As shownin FIGS. 4 and 15, the chain 65 is formed of annularly joined smalllinks 66 that can be locked on the tooth portions 56B and 57B of thesprockets 56 and 57. Thus, as shown in FIG. 15, when the swing arms 55rotatively move in a P direction shown in the figure, the movablesprockets 57 rotatively move in the opposite direction, that is, an Sdirection. This serves to hold the cushion base 51 in a horizontalposture with respect to the car body regardless of the swingingoperation of the swing arms 55. The fixed sprockets 56, movablesprockets 57, and chains 65 correspond to a posture holding mechanism inaccordance with the present invention.

Now, description will be given of the electric motor 67 (drivingportion) that drives the swinging portion 50. The electric motor 67 isinstalled on the sidewall 46 of the rotatively moving pedestal 45 via ajoint bracket (not shown). A rotating shaft of the electric motor 67 isconnected to the axial end of the driving shaft 60 for the swing arms 55via a speed reduction gear 69. This allows the rotary motion of theelectric motor 67 to be transmitted to the driving shaft 60 while thespeed reduction gear 69 is decelerating the rotary motion. Further, inthe present embodiment, a start switch is provided in, for example, theseat cushion 31 to operate a driving circuit for the electric motor 67.Thus, the switch is operated to drive or stop the electric motor 67.

As described above, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 10, when the cushion base 51is in the forward position, that is, above the rotatively movingpedestals 45, the swing arms 55 are diagonally connected (Z type) to theouter surfaces of the members 51 and 45. However, when the electricmotor 67 is then driven to rotate the driving shaft 60, the swing arms55 swing integrally with the driving shaft 60 to move the cushion base51 upward or downward and frontward or backward while maintaining thecushion base 51 in its horizontal posture as shown in FIG. 15. Referencenumerals 101 and 102 shown in FIG. 4 denote bushes fitted around thedriving shaft 60 and connection shaft 63, respectively. The bushes allowboth shafts 60 and 63 to perform a smooth rotatively moving operation.

In the present embodiment, a link mechanism is interposed between theswinging portion 50 and the rotatively moving portion 40 to combine therotatively moving operation with the swinging operation.

In the present embodiment, the link mechanism is composed of atransmitting portion 71 and a converting portion 91. First, theconverting portion 91 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, an attaching recess 45B is formed in a centralportion of a front end of the rotatively moving pedestal 45. Abox-shaped gear box 81 is attached to the attaching recess 45B. As shownin FIG. 7, the gearbox 81 has a partitioning plate 83 above a bottomplate 82 to partition the interior of the gearbox 81 into an upperchamber 81A and a lower chamber 81B.

A relay pin 86 (vertical rotating shaft) is rotatively movably supportedin the lower chamber 81B so that its axial end projects into the upperchamber 81A. A bevel gear 93 (vertical gear) is fixed to the part of therelay pin 86 which projects into the upper chamber 81A; the bevel gear93 is provided with a tooth portion 93A on its top surface. On the otherhand, a pair of bypass ports 85A is formed in a left and right lateralwall 85 of the upper chamber 81A of the gear box 81. The driving shaft60 for the swing arms 55 is inserted through the bypass ports 85A.Moreover, a change gear 95 (horizontal gear) is installed on the drivingshaft 60 so as to be rotatively movable integrally with the drivingshaft 60; the change gear 95 is engageable with the bevel gear 93. Thegears 93 and 95 engage with each other in the upper chamber 81A of thegearbox 81.

Thus, once the driving shaft 60 for the swing arms 55 rotatively moves,the engagement between the change gear 95 and the bevel gear 93 convertsrotary motion around the driving shaft 60 (rotary motion around ahorizontal axis) into rotary motion around the relay pin 86 (rotarymotion around a vertical axis) (converting portion).

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a main pin 72 (rotating center axis) iswelded to a part of the bearing plate 41 which constitutes a rotativelymoving center of both outer and inner ring 43 and 44; the upper end ofthe main pin 72 projects from the bypass port 45A, formed in therotatively moving pedestal 45. A large-diameter sprocket 73 is fittedaround the tip of the main pin 72; a tooth portion 73A is formed aroundthe outer periphery of the large-diameter sprocket 73. That is to say,an attaching hole for the main pin 72 is formed in the inner peripheryof the large-diameter sprocket 73. Gear portions 72A and 73B are formedon an inner wall of the attaching hole and on an outer peripheral partof tip of the main pin 72. Thus, the engagement between the gearportions 72A and 73B prohibits the large-diameter sprocket 73 fromperforming a rotatively moving operation around the main pin 72.

On the other hand, a small-diameter sprocket 87 (rotating sprocket) isfitted around the outer periphery of the relay pin 86; thesmall-diameter sprocket 87 is rotatively movable integrally with therelay pin 86. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the small-diameter sprocket87 and the large-diameter sprocket 73 have an almost equal height fromthe top surface of the rotatively moving pedestal 45. The lower chamber81B of the gearbox 81 is not provided with a front wall 84A or a rearwall 84B but is open in a front-to-back direction. An annular chain 89(belt) is passed between the small-diameter sprocket 87 andlarge-diameter sprocket 73 in the gearbox 81. Accordingly, when thesmall-diameter sprocket 87 rotates around the relay pin 86, the rotationis converted into a revolution around the main pin 72 via the chain 89.Since the small-diameter sprocket 87 is provided on the rotativelymoving pedestal, the revolution rotatively moves the rotatively movingpedestal 45 around the main pin 72 (transmitting portion).

Thus, the rotatively moving operation of the rotatively moving pedestal45 is combined with the swinging operation of the swing arm 55. In theloading and unloading position shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, each swing arm 55position the rotatively moving pedestal 45 located inside the car andthe cushion base 51 projecting out of the car so as to be positionedtoward the exterior of the car.

Reference numeral 105 shown in FIG. 4 denotes a bush that allows therelay pin 86 to perform a smooth rotatively moving operation.

Now, description will be given of a procedure for projecting the seatportion 30 out of the car.

First, the passenger first gets out of the car, while leaving thepassenger 20 side door 14 open. The passenger subsequently turns on theswitch to project the seat portion 30 out of the car. In other words,the switch is turned on to start driving the electric motor 67. Thisallows the rotary motion of the electric motor 67 to be transmitted tothe driving shaft 60 while being decelerated via the speed reductiongear 69. The swing arms 55 are then rotatively moved integrally with thedriving shaft 60. This causes the seat portion 30 to rise gradually fromthe forward position (position shown in FIG. 1) while performing aturning operation (rotatively moving operation) described later.

When the driving shaft 60 rotatively moves, the engagement between thechange gear 95 and the bevel gear 93 allows the rotating motion aroundthe driving shaft 60 to be transmitted to the relay pin 86. This causesthe small-diameter sprocket 87 to rotate around the relay pin 86. Whenthe small-diameter sprocket 87 rotates, the rotative motion is convertedinto a revolution around the main pin 72 via the chain 89 andlarge-diameter sprocket 73. This causes the outer ring 44, and thus therotatively moving pedestal, 45 to rotatively move around the main pin72. The seat portion 30 is thus turned toward the exterior of the car asshown in FIG. 2.

Thus, once the switch is turned on to drive the electric motor 67, theseat portion 30 performs a combination of the swinging operation(vertical movement involving an operation of moving into or out of thecar). The seat portion 30 continues to rise until the swing arms 55 arebrought into an upright position as shown in FIG. 7. The swing arms 55subsequently pass beyond the upright position and tilt toward theexterior of the car. This causes the seat portion 30 to project out ofthe car while gradually lowering. In the present embodiment, the seatportion 30 passes through the door opening 14 almost simultaneously withthe start of the lowering operation.

The swing arms 55 pass through a horizontal posture shown in FIG. 8 andthen further swings to lower the seat portion 30. Once the seat portion30 pivots through about 90° from the previously described forwardposition and reaches a predetermined height from the ground surface(loading and unloading position), the driving of the electric motor 67is stopped at that position.

Under these conditions, the swing arms 55 are hanging as shown in FIG.9. While the seat portion 30 is moving from the forward position to theloading and unloading position, the swing arms 55 swing through about180° around the driving shaft 60. The swing arms 55 are thus set toalmost invert from the interior to exterior of the car. This allows theseat portion 30 to move by a sufficient amount (stroke available whenthe seat portion swings to the interior or exterior of the car) in thefront-to-back direction (in the present embodiment, the amountcorresponds to almost double the length of the swing arm 55).

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the projecting operation of seatportion 30 is completed, the seat cushion 31 projects out of the car.Thus, for example, with a wheelchair placed in parallel with the seatportion 30, the passenger can smoothly shift from the seat to thewheelchair. A retracting operation is reverse to the previouslydescribed operation; the retracting operation returns the seat portion30 projecting out of the car, to the forward position in the car.Accordingly, duplicate descriptions are omitted.

Thus, according to the present embodiment, the rotatively movingpedestal 45 is provided in the area sandwiched between the oppositeswing arms 55. This prevents the rotatively moving pedestal 45 fromextending sideward. Further, in the frontward position, the swing arms55 diagonally position the rotatively moving pedestal 45 and cushionbase 51. This prevents the swing arms 55 from extending upward from thecushion base 51. Therefore, the size of the apparatus can be reducedacross the width and height.

Further, a 4-node link consisting of four supporting points is used by awell-known configuration (posture holding portion) for holding theposture of the cushion base 51 during the swinging operation of theswing arm 55. However, the sprockets operate via two supporting pointsand thus have a simple configuration and operate smoothly.

Moreover, the link mechanism is interposed between the rotatively movingportion 40 and the swinging portion 50. A swinging operation of theswing arm 55 via the electric motor 67 rotatively moves the rotativelymoving pedestal 45 in unison with the swinging operation. Thus, bothswinging and rotatively moving operation can be achieved using the samedriving source. This makes it possible to reduce the number of partsrequired and the size of the whole apparatus.

Other Embodiments

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described abovewith reference to the drawings. For example, embodiments described beloware also included within the scope of the present invention. Many othervariations may be made to the above embodiments without departing fromthe spirit of the present invention.

(1) The present embodiment interposes the link portion between therotatively moving portion and the swinging portion. However, the linkportion may be omitted and a dedicated driving source may be used forthe rotatively moving portion.

When the rotatively moving portion and swinging portion are thusindependent of each other, only the swinging portion can be used toadjust the height of the seat (lifter function). To project the seatportion out of the car or retract it into the car, the pivotingoperation of the rotatively moving portion may be combined with theprojecting or retracting operation.

(2) The present embodiment applies the rotatively moving and swingingapparatus M to the passenger seat 20 in the vehicle. However, therotatively moving and swinging apparatus M may be used for otherapplications, for example, a loading or unloading operation in an unevenplace.

(3) The present embodiment fixes the sprockets 56 on the rotativelymoving pedestal 45, while rotatively moving the sprockets 57 on thecushion base 51. However, this arrangement may be reversed.

(4) The present embodiment sets the swinging angle of the swing arms 55at about 180°. However, the swing arms 55 may swing through a largerangle.

1-6. (canceled)
 7. A swinging apparatus characterized by comprising: amount connected to a seat position in which a passenger can sit; a basemember attached to a floor panel of a car body so as to rotativelymovable around a vertical axis, the base member being displaceablebetween a forward position where the seat position is directed toward afront of the vehicle and a position along a direction in which anopening in the vehicle is open; a swing arm having a connection portionat one end which is connected to the base member via a driving shaftserving as a horizontal rotating shaft and having a connection portionat the other end which is connected to the mount via a connection shaftplaced parallel to the driving shaft, the swing arm being, in a setposition where the mount is displaced on the base member, diagonallyplaced between the mount and the base member, the swing arm enabling theseat portion to swing to an interior or exterior of a compartmentthrough the opening when a swinging operation is performed around thedriving shaft to move the mount upward or downward and forward orbackward; and a posture holding portion that, while the swing arm isperforming a swinging operation, makes a direction in which the swingarm swings around the driving shaft, opposite to a direction in whichthe mount rotatively moves around the connection shaft, to hold themount in a horizontal posture.
 8. The swinging apparatus according toclaim 7, characterized in that the posture holding portion comprises afixed sprocket fixed to one of the connection portions of the basemember and mount, a movable sprocket rotatively movably supported by theother connection portion, and an annular belt that joins the fixedsprocket and the movable sprocket together.
 9. A swinging apparatuscharacterized by comprising: a rotatively moving portion comprising abase member and a bearing portion that rotatively movably supports thebase member; a swinging portion comprising a driving shaft disposed sothat an axis of the driving shaft is directed in a horizontal directionwith respect to the base member and a swing arm attached to a shaft endof the driving shaft so as to be rotatively movable integrally with thedriving shaft; and a driving portion that rotates the driving shaftaround an axis of the driving shaft, and in that a link mechanism isinterposed between the rotatively moving portion and the swingingportion to link a swinging operation of the swing arm to a rotativelymoving operation of the base member, and the link mechanism comprises avertical rotating shaft that extends in a direction parallel to adirection in which a rotating center axis of the base member extends, atransmitting portion that can transmit rotary motion around the verticalrotating shaft to the base member, and a converting portion thatdirectionally converts rotary motion around the driving shaft intorotary motion around the vertical rotating shaft.
 10. The swingingapparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the convertingportion comprises a horizontal gear fitted around the horizontalrotating driving shaft so as to be rotatively movable integrally withthe driving shaft and a vertical gear supported around the verticalrotating shaft so as to be rotatively movable integrally with thevertical rotating shaft, the vertical gear being engageable with thehorizontal gear, the vertical rotating shaft being provided in the basemember.
 11. The swinging apparatus according to claim 9, characterizedin that the transmitting portion comprises a rotating sprocket fixed tothe vertical rotating shaft so as to be rotatively movable integrallywith the vertical rotating shaft, a fixed sprocket fixed to a rotatingcenter shaft of the base member, and an annular belt that joins therotating and fixed sprockets together.
 12. The swinging apparatusaccording to claim 9, characterized in that the base member is attachedto a floor panel of a car body, a seat portion in which a passenger cansit is connected to a mount, and the seat portion is projected out of orretracted into a vehicle while being turned from a forward position inwhich the seat portion is directed toward a front of the vehicle, to anopening in the vehicle, by means of a rotatively moving operation of therotatively moving portion and a swinging operation of the swingingportion, when the seat portion is in the forward position, the swing armdiagonally positions the base member and the mount located above thebase member but can be almost inverted around the driving shaft, andwhen the seat portion is in a loading and unloading position outside thevehicle, the swing arm positions the base member located inside thevehicle and the mount projecting out of the vehicle so as to bepositioned toward the exterior of the vehicle.